Chances are, you have heard of BPA before. BPA, also known as Bisphenol A, is a chemical used in many household plastics, like water bottles, and the resins that coat drink cans. BPA is found in a ton of household plastics, including plastic food containers and even receipts. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
BPAs have been proven to be linked to a range of health issues, from breast cancer to liver abnormalities. It has shown to be damaging to fetuses during pregnancy, and even has a damaging effect on young children’s developing brains. Add one more to the list: BPA has now been proven to have adverse effects on IVF treatment.
A 2011 study done by Dr. Victor Fujimoto, Director of the UCSF In Vitro Fertilization Program, in San Francisco, CA, determined that BPAs do in fact have adverse effects on IVF treatments. The study found that as levels of BPA in the blood rose, the percentage of eggs that developed normally declined by 50 percent.
It’s not really clear why or how the BPA affects the egg levels so dramatically, but it is definitely something that needs additional research and studies to figure out what exactly is going on. Scientists guess that the BPA is acting through the estrogen receptors in the body, but they are not for sure. Doctors still need to see how long the traces of BPA remain in the body, and what kind of effect reducing the BPA will have in women undergoing IVF treatments.
Experts and scientists agree that there is really no way to completely and totally avoid exposure to BPA. It is just that prevalent in our society today. However, you can try to limit your exposure to BPA in a few different ways. Limiting your exposure to processed foods, especially those in plastic containers or cans is one way to keep away from BPA.
Try to eat organically if possible, that way you can avoid pesticides and other chemicals that are used on fruits and vegetables. If you use a plastic water bottle, you might want to switch to a stainless steel one as well. Try to look for “BPA free” labels on all of the products that you buy and use in order to limit your exposure to this harmful chemical! This is the best course of action to take now, until we know more about what exactly we can do to limit the effects of BPA.
Comments